Improved oab-cotjpling



No. 80,271. PATENTED JULY 28, 1868.

G. T. BURCHARDT. GAR GOUPLING..

im rim-t5 @met mit, j

Imgnovnn omffcoUPLINef 'ro ALL WiloivrfnfnmvCNGERN; f

B0 n known um Lounges TI-Bumi'nw, 'of the 'ciiy-nd'couneyof newfvqrkifpine st vtefqf Newj`- York, huveinyented certain new `and useful Improvements i1134 Cnr-Couplings`.;- ind `decimi-ottici: the

following is a. full and exact' description thereof,

y l Myvnvention is adopted toprovidetwoof `the; important qualities in enr-e0ufpliii-gs',` niversiiillyrecognilied-T` as suchrand in a manner more 'practicable and convenient than has been befforo "lhes'e rquzilitieeare;

`.l1`irsst,*theft of bein'gself-'cQl-IPP; and,V j

Second, that `of being self-(detaehing in 'caso of getting oivth'e track.'

A:Inwilliirst 'describe whntlconsiderthe'best vmeans of-cn'rryinlgpout 'inyeiitionfzindjvillVfterinidu designnte thepontswhichI believe tti-be nev'v therein. t

The accompanying drawingeform a. p'irt of'this'fspeeiicntiopw' Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of one'form'of car-coupling'j, \`vi`th the ear-link being;`

in ,cfonnection with theihook of the coupling Figure 1 islacorresponding section,shosving'tbeihook of the-'coupling Ainposition u'rui'gieklfto Ifeceivetthe car-linkffor connection. p

` Figure 2is a. top view of the some, l

Figure 3` isn. croiiss-se`ition,-` on the line-s 8,'in .fig-l 2.

\ Figure dise. longtiulinul section, showing th'o cer-link deteching itseifn'nescnping freni ltlielxo'olt, the' strain having been broughttoone side byfn car runningoil' the track.

, Figures 5 and 6 represent vertical longitudinal sections ofmodications of the construction of theconpling',

varying in the manner'of attaching the hookof the same.' Y

Figure 7 is a. v'erticallongitudinnlsection, s'houing the `hook .of-the sarne'in a.diil'erer'1t form. n v Figure 8 is atop view, and

Figure 9o. cross-section of the same. y w

Figure 7*' is a central longitudinal sectiomehowingthe hook in the' 4act of being connected `to the Vemi-linku l Figure 11 shows tbe oar-linlide'livcring itself from tliehook,v in case of eccident, 1

Figures lOyand 12 exhibit modification of the,coupling, varying'in the manner of connecting and holding the coupling-liook.` 1 i Y i Y i.

Simiiur letters of reference indieatecorresponding parts iii-fall the gurfesil Tintsa'rc employed merelylto Vodlindistinguishingparts, and do not'necess'ariiy i-xriply dierences'of material. The materiel of :ill the unetallic pnrts m'ay be ofiron. V .4 Y i A -A is a part of the body of the cor, nml a a areftheslides in which the coupling, Whichmzy be'of the` ordinaxjy lcharacter at this part, rnovesfo'rward and bnckw-ard, according as'it is pressed inward or drawn out by the forces to` which it is subjected.

B is the mainframework ofthe coupling. Irwill clescribeit as the springfminei 'Itis Aividened and faced at its outer end, b, to reeeivcondtransmit force from one car to the other, and it-is suspended, so as to be free to move-forward and beck, as above'indicatedf i v C is a. rubbeiuspring mounted in the ordinary- `approved described below, and D is thelink which .connects this car with another, when required.` i

sinner,A- wtban improvement, which will be novel portions ofugny coupling. t i y, i

I will designate. the several parte hydistinguishiog monika, E,&e., belo'w.

G G are-links, connected by a. Vpi-n,re, to the hook E, and by pins, ff, to the spring-frame of the' coupling.V

i When thecoupling, is in use, 't'ixelinks G G- are subjected toys. strnin, either of tension or compression, according es it is ana-rigged, The hook E is free toturn onl the centre, e. It is provided-with c cordr chaingmgby which' I it may he `lifted to uncouple. The 'front edge `of tbe hook '3, which lies :in the spring-frame B, is inclined or lbevelled, as represented, so that, on forcing in the link D against this-jnclined face, the hook is lifted, and the coupling is eected by the automatic dropping of-tbe hook again into place'fas/soon asthelink D has passedin,

and without the aid of the attendants, f

I designate this acting'part of the hook by It is square on the rear face, and bevelled on the front fa'ce. The bevel of the front face is only important when it is desired to use the device as a self-acting coupling. The rear face is subjected to the whole strain transmitted through the-link when in use.

I designate the arm, or'part to whichthe cord m is attached, byE, This must'fbe so situated as to presenta reasonable leverage for lifting the part El. It is not ordinarily practicable to un'couple, either with my device or anyoth'er, while the cars'are being pulled apart with full force. In ordinary practice, the steam 4 is shut oii, and the ca rs are allowedto slacken the couplings, before it is practicable to uncouple. 'My coupling must be operated in the same manner in that respect.' v

Fa is a portion ofthe hook'which performs an' important-fnnction,.not yet referred to, that of keeping the hook in place-while in-use. v Thelpull of the link D on the part El induces a tendency in the hook to partially revolvolaround the centre, er This is.resisted so long as the pull on the link D is in line, or nearlyin line, withv the centre"lineofthfe car. This resistsnce'is ofered by 'a'4 stout metal part, H,the width ol' which is limited. `When the cars ire travelling on a straight porti-on of the road, or even on a. sharp curve or switch, or are moved overthe' ordinary inequalities of the track, the link D is pulled in line, or nearly in line, with the centre line of the car. But when, in consequenceof a car leaving the track, Vthelnk between it'an-d the succeeding car il pulled at a very greatangle, the link D, with the spring-frame B and its connections, is drawn to one side to such an extent that thebearing-surface E" of thc-hook travels past the edge of the bearing-pieee H. When this condition is attained, the hook'E is free to turn, and it is turned on its centre e, sind liberates the link D, thus uncoupling the cars.

The location of the narrow bearing H, and the form ofthe hook and of the bearingpartE, which res-ts against the piece H, may be variedI indeiinitely.` It is only essential that the surface H be fixed on the car A,

or on some part connected therewith, so-that it shall stand independent o'f the side-motion of the hook and its connections, andthat the hook, especially that part of itwhich bears against the surface .ILand whichI have' designated as'E, shall be drawn 'to one side or the-otherV suiic'iently to pass clear of the surface H, when the ylink D is drawn at too great an angle to either side. I

I'havc represented in the figures two principal modifications, which I'co'nsidr preferable to ahyotheriforms .in which the 'invention may-'be 'carried ou The above general description applies with suilic'ien-t accuracyto cach, but alf-ew Words will be devoted to thedifi'erences.I i l l I '.f l u Referring to viigs. 1 to 4, the struinen the links G G is compressive, that is, it tends -to crushthe links in the drectionof their'length, and make them shorter. The-links being suciently strong to endure allsueh' strain to' whichV they can be subjected, it will be observed, from -their position and arrangement, that the angle at which .they stand when the coupling is in 'use teiflds to 'hold the centre-pin e downwith V considerable-force. It would require a great strain on the cord m to uncouple the car while the coupling is" subjectedto 'any considerablc strain, be'caxise the operation of uncoupling, by drawing up the part E,pr noves the acting -part El of the coupling-hook backward, vor, in other words, the links G G, in swinging apart, s'w'ing4 the centre, e, to a certain extent backward, as well as upward, in the spring-frame'B. Iiwill presently show that a backward motion closely analogous to this is induced inv the act of unccupling the other form of my device. In either forni, the fact that a' backward motion of the' link is involved in the act o f'uncoupling,y avoids the possibility of the coupling detaching'itself under any direct strain short of that required to break. the parts. l I

When Vthe link D, inffigs, 1, 2, 8, and si,A is drawn scverclyto onesidc, it swings the spring-frame B and its connections to/that side, and thc part E3 of the hook in'ovos therewith to. one side` or the other, to Ya limited extent, -`without uneoupling. But, although the part E of the lhook is near the' spring C, or,- in other words,

near the centre ofthe swinging'motion, it is stillsuic'iently removed to produce the effect intended; that is to 1 say, the part 'E3 of the hook E moves sensibly to-'tlic right and left, as thc spring B and its connections are cer-y respondingly moved,and the writhof the bearing H being made narrow, the part E* slips o' the edge of the part H whenever the spring-frame is drawn toomuch to 'either'sidc The moment the part'Easlips oiifth'e'- bearing H, it drops'dqwn, both by the action 'of gravity and by the force of the link D, which' tends .to turn the" h ook on its centre.A The dropping-motion of the part E, and the corresponding lifting ofthe part E', releasethe linkD, and the cars' are uncouplml.A V

Referring to figs. T to 11, although a lvery different form of the hook 'and a-somewhat modified arrangement of the parts are introduced here, the'action is substantially the Vsame as above-described. Here the acting part E" of the hook is further back in the spring-frame B, -and the linkD require: to be longer, This is of trilling consequence. The' strain on the links G G, instead of Atending to crush, 'as in 'the previous exa'rnple, here tends to stretch or rend the links, and, instend'of drawing the links at an angle,iit draws them in aline nearly or exactly parallel to the line of strain on the link D.- 'lhese links'rcston the upper surface of the spring-,frame 13 in such manner that they' cannot sink lower. The only way in'which -theycan turn, is to rise.' In the act of uncouplinlg, thc part E2 being drawn' upward, the links G G turn on the ixed pins f, andthe' centre c4 of the hook is drawn back as before. This motion, as also the peculiar relation ofthe h ock to the bearing-surface H, in 4this form of the invention, answers a very suilicicnt backward motion of't'heactvc part El of my hook in the In this forni of the-invention, the surface H lshould be wider 'than in the form before described. ltis mounted "at a greater distance from the centre of motion. The bearing-'surface E ol' the hook'is, in this form, in close proximity tb, 'and in fact may-'be described a'sforming a part of, the actiire pait El of the' hook.A The strain due to the tension of the' linkD against the lurfsc'e'H is upward. When, in this forrnl of my invention,

the link is drawn toomuch to one s ide or the other, so4 that the bcaxi'ngsuri`eco E slips .ot'i` the edge 'of the bearing H, the surface VE3 rises, instead of felling, as before, but this niotion'instantnnejously libere't-e's the link D, and u ncouplesthe car. VAs I have drawn the purtsin thisspeciiicatiom the liberating-motion nill bemore proniptfand positive'with this form of the inventionthan with-the other. lIt rvill be understood that, in the not ofcoupling' witlithe'last-described forni c f my invention, theolink D ispressed against the inclined surface of the part El', and lifts it, and tho hook -E rises-and lifts the liuk's'G G1. It may `besaid 'to turn around the bearing H as a centre. It will be observedthanin `the other form of my invention, the .notion 'is precisely equivalentuin this respect. The forcing in Iof' the link D iift's' the hook, which, inv this ease also, may be scid nto turn'on'the'bceringH es a centre. i i i With either form of my coupling, I employ slee-springs, J', (see fig. 8,')rn'hich tend pto 'keep the coupling alwcysin a central position. I also adopt a form and arrangement of the parts iinmediatelybo'ut themain bumper-spring C which greatiy assists in effecting the'sar'nefandis able even to eiect this alone. Itwill'be understood that the force o1" the spring or springs holding the spring-frame B anditsconnections in or neer the cen'triil line Iof the car, es now referred to, must not be so greet as topreventf its beingV deflected greetly one side or the other, when a car leaves'the' track. i l l Referring to iig. 8, a aforo .the front and back plates to the spring C, 4The front plate a is' rounded at lthis front, es shown, and the corresponding face or sui-face of the framing A, or its attached castings, is b'e'velled, 'as shown at o a?. Whiie thespring-fram 1? and its contents maintain, the central position, the piate 'ai rests inthe angle betwee'n'the bevels 4a2 a, but when the spring-frame is deected to either side, it traverses, as is obvious, upon one or the other ofthfese bevels, and is thereby more cornpressed. It follows that the peculiar construction and'arrangement tends to vhold the spring-froment or near the central line, and, when it ha'srb'eeu deflected, tends to return it to such `'ne. Thus it performs an important, end useful function in this respect.

I con either build new bumpers or alter those already in use. I can oet the hook close to the'frontbuinper-4 plate, or more back, so es to conformJ to the use of short or long links. I can arron'ge. the fixed point around `which the hook swings, in case of running o the track of one car, ehove, or below, or inilinen'ith that point which the i'ink works on, but always onone end of one or more. eonnectipn-bars of which "the other end is `linged on the bumperin such s -way as toallow the raising of the first end of this bar for letting thelink pass while attaching a csr. i v

I con form the second support, H, of tho'hook one place in front of thehook, or in rear of it, but always on the stationary parts of the cnr, so as to allow a. movement of the bumpeforward end backward, as may bev produced by the pull or push of the cars, without interfering with the working of the self-attaching andselfl" detachingarrangement, and I may decrease or increase the width' of this second support, to conform with the curves usedon a rond, so that, while traversing suchv curves, the self-detaching apparatus does'nct operate, but tv ill act themoment a car runs off the track. i I

I attach some importance to the use of a weak spring, as I, in iig. 4, bt stili' enough to keep the hook in its right position, notwithstanding this effect will be produced bythe weight of. the hook and connection-rod or rods. l i

Further, I use springs, steel or rubber, or pthcr'su'table material, to bring back the bumper to its cent-rail i position, as often as itis drawn therefrom by slightjerks, or while turning a curve, though the springs are not- -of sufficient stiffness to prevent the actionofsthe self-detaching epparatusp Forthe sume purpose, I form thisA lnew freine of my bumpers so 'that the main bumper-spring will he unevenly compressed when the bumper is' shifted from its central position, and will have, in this way, the tendency to force it back to its-proper place.

' The hook is s o'sliapcd as to retain the linkin' or about n level position, inasmuch as thc linkis supported in about its middle by the-innereqlge ofthe front bumper-plate. y i I Ado not confino myself to the use, in all cases, of the apparatus in aform that will be both self-attaching andI-self-detachng, but, in cases -where it lmay be preferred, as on frcight-cax"s, can use it with self-attaching i only, and the second support, II, of theA iliook,'o'r tongue, tixedon Vthe' stationary part-s of the car, will, for

effecting this, be widened, 'so that'the hook cannot yield in any oblique positionof the b niper.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of my inventionfmay be separately enumerated, as folloivs: .v First. By reason ofthe fact that my Vhearing-piece H is formed and arranged as represented, relatively to the bearing-puri E3 of the'hook, I am able to insure the disconnection of the coupling andthe separation of the cnr Whenever one runs oil the track, because the obliqnityof the tension on the coupling in such case will pull the spring-frame and its connections to one side, so as to draw the`lio'ok-benr ing E3 off freni th'e middle v beniiiig'II, and allow the bool; to turn und release the link'D. i

iecond.. By reason of the fact tht my linlgs Gr G are constructed and arranged; as represented, relatively to thchool: and the other parts, I om able to couple either by hand or bythe automatic notion above described, 'andinlso to uncouple at will, whenever the tension on the link D is relaxed, Without the neccssity'for interfering-l with the relationv of bearing-part E3 to the middle bearing H. Third. By reason of the fzrct that, in combination with the centre bearing H, o .nd thc'provisionor liberating l the link Dby side motion, as specified, my side springs J .I are of inoderateforce. and arranged as represented, I am chic 'toihold the spring-frame B and-its connections in the. central linnof the cor ivithsuilicient force to insure its holding that position u'nder all ordinary circumstances xvhile ailojring it to be deiiected by a. nioderate pull on thc link D when thrown in a. very oblique position byan a'ccient. 'i 4 f Fourth. By reason cf the fact that, in combination, as described, n'y'bevelled bearings, az as, on the springframe are constructed and arranged es represented relatively to the xneimspring C, I am able 'o still further insure the attainment of the last-described end; o r I may, hy these bevels, cfect this end alone, without the uid of tho side springs,ii` required.

Having now fully described m Patent, is as follows:

1. I claim the cr-coupling, composed of the hook E, beringwhen connected with 'the main-spring C, allsubstateilly as heroin' d 2. I claim, the bevelled or double-inlined bearings a a, spring-frame B and its 'connectonsyas n, i

In testimonywlereof, I have heron y ipventonLwhat I claim as new thero,'anjd desire to securoby Letters arranged relativy to the main-spring C and ndfor the'purposes hereig specified.

nto set my name in' presenco of fswov su-bscribing witnesses. 4 CHARLES fr. BURCHARDT. Witnesses: f

C. O. LIVINGS, W. C. DEY.' 

